Representation Matters: Acting While Black Edition

So when we yell #OscarsSoWhite, I stand here thinking, “So is the rest of the industry.” The inequality starts from the bottom and works its way to the top until it becomes fully institutionalized. And at that bottom level, where it begins, we don’t even have the insulation of money to help withstand the burden. We have to worry about that next paycheck to eat.

I couldn’t teach that white director that his concept of how black people respond to slurs ran counter to the truth of my life experience for fear of losing out on a job. When a white actor then used a slur with me onstage, I couldn’t walk away or demand his job for fear of losing a necessary paycheck and future income. And when a cop physically assaulted me to teach me how to play a part, I couldn’t exclaim my displeasure, as this was my big break.

I was voiceless.

This is why it’s not enough to have a token black guy, to have “diversity” in only one small aspect of a huge enterprise. This is why representation on all levels is hugely important. And we white folk need to be listening and have people’s backs when shit happens, as it inevitably will. Same goes for any majority interacting with minority folk. Men: have women’s backs. Straight people: back up the queer folk. Cis people: stand with the trans folk. And all of us must demand more minority folk be represented. Demand marginalized people be treated with respect, even when they’re not there to advocate for themselves.

We can change this shit, but we have to pull our weight, and listen, and believe people when they talk about their experiences.

One thought on “Representation Matters: Acting While Black Edition”

Closely related to the argument from the top – there is no racism, the president is a black dude! (We had the alternate version here: there is no sexism, the president is (by now, was, but the argument still lives) a woman!)
So I think it’s entirely possible that getting the representation within the Oscars will lead to a skewed vision of the situation – as in, you’ve got representation, there is no racism!
But until it can be shown that there is diversity all the way down, such arguments from the top are invalid.

Comments are closed.

The Orbit is a diverse collective of atheist and nonreligious bloggers committed to social justice, within and outside the secular community. For more information, please see our About Us page.

All content is copyright the authors except where otherwise noted. Contact the authors individually for further information.